Vania



j wurw A. PAPINI.

COMPBESSIBLE RHEOSTAT.

APPLICATION mw MAA. 23. 1920.

1,343,472. A Patented June 15, 1920.

11.., i h u ATTORNEYS. i'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTONIO PAPINI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSIGNOR T0 A. MECKYCOMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYL- VARIA.

COMPRESSIBLE BHEOSTAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 15, 1920.

Application led March 23, 1920. Serial No. 368,020.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTONIO Parmi, a subject of the King of Italy, andhaving resided in the United States one year lastl ast, and havingdeclared my intention ot becoming a citizen thereof, residinfr 1n thecity and county of Philadelphia, tate of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Compressible Rheostat, of which the tollowing is aspecification.

My invention consists of a novel construe` tion of a double cellrheostat which is de signed to step down the current of the houselighting circuit to the proper point so that said current can be used inconnection with bells, audible signals and the like, my novel devicebeing provided with novel adjustable devices, so that it may be adjustedto take care of one bell or a plurality of bells.

My novel rheostat is designed to be fastened or supported upon a Wall,board or other support, and its general principles of operation embodiesthe compression of conducting and non-conducting substances commingledtogether, as mica and graphite or graphite and asbestos or the like,said substances being comminuted or commingled in suitable proportionsand the compression taking place in a plurality ot' separate cylinderscontained within a porcelain body, said cylinders containing pistonswhich are operable or adjustable in unison.

It further consists of a novel construction of a rheostat, comprising acover or body of porcelain or the like within which cylinders areformed, said cylinders containing porcelain or other pistons, which havea connecting plate common thereto, said late having a threaded stempassing tierethrough and being held in proper position by a suitabletenslon device.

It further consists of a novel construction of a bottom closure and itsadjuncts for the bottom of the transformer wherein the bottom of theporcelain body is rovided with means for insulating and retaining saidclosure in proper position with respect to said bottom.

It further consists of a novel construction of a bottom closure havingintegral eyes, struck up therefrom and rods or pins passing throu h saideyes and having their ends cated in t e walls of the rheostat bod Itfurther consists of other nove features of construction all as will behereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred byme, since the same will be found in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities oi which my invention consists can be variouslyarrangedand organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a 1vertical sectional view of a rheostat embodyingmy invention, the section being taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 2. F ig. 2represents a section on line 2--2 of ig. 3 represents a top plan view ofF i 1.

ig. 4 represents in detached position a perspective view of a connectinplate employed, the same being shown 1n detached position from itscoacting pistons.

Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the bottom plate or closure indetached position.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theigures.

1 designates my novel construction of a rheostat, all the internalmechanism thereof being contained Within a cover or body of porcelain orthe like 2, which is composed of the top 3 and depending Walls 4, thebottom of sa id body being initially left open while from about thecenter of said top depends the preferably integral wall or portion 5,having the bore or passage 6 therethrou h, in which is seated the screw7, whose hea 8 is contained in the countersunk portion 9. lVithin thecover 2 are formed two cylinder hores or piston chambers 10 closed attheir top and open at their bottom and as the construction of cach andtheir adjuncts is substantially the same, a description of one willsufiice for both. At the upper extremity of each piston chamber, cell orbore 10, I locate the contact plate 11, against which contacts -theresistance material 12 which latter is contained between said plate 11and the piston contact plate 13 which is carried by the porcelain piston14. The piston contact late 13 has an asbestos washer 15 interposedbetweeiLit and the piston 14, and said plate, washer and pstoii are heldin assembled position by the screw 16. 17 designates aninsulatingwasher, and the parts 13, 14, 15 and 17 are held in positionby the nut 18, said screw and nut also serving as a binding post for thelead wire 19 shown in ["ig. 2, but omittedfrcm Fig, 1, for the salie ofclearness of illustration.

20 designates a compressing plate com posed of the straight members 21,having thel holes-.- 22` tliei'elilirougli,I througlv which the screws16 pass, andiinthe-intermediate bowed or depressed-'portion23' havingthe hola-24 therethrough which may be tapped or: threaded, through whichpasses the -lower threadedi-portion ofi 1the-central screwr` 7, itbeing'ap arentthwt the coiled spring 25, seen inf i i 1 andinterposedbetweenthe top=oftlie epressed portion 23 andthe bottomfof` the -walll5,- will exert the proper -tenA sion 'upon 'said plate20 atl all!timesand 'that asthe screw 7 isrvrotated the 4position oil the pistons14andvthe extent of` compression lon the-materiali 12, maybereadilyvanied, as desired: i

The compressing-plate 20 isproperlyl insulatedfrem thebinding-posts-l'by the washers 17.

26'and'27 designate conductors, whose terminals as 28 and 29 areconnected electrically to thefcontactplates 11, the manner of suchconnection being apparent from-the rigltofFig; -andtlie upper-left)hand-portion oEi'g: 2; theloop 29 beingsoldered-to the-plate 11.Atfthelwer-rghtmf Fi'g 2 is shown thepreferredfcenneetionof the terminelofthe wirellto-its-bndin -post- 16, tlle terminal lportion -30 being soderedto the4 washerl.' The open bottom\-of-the cover or bedy=2 has theshoulder'32against whiehis-secumd the paperor otheninsulating-materialf325; which` isheld' in place by the bottom closure 33f off metulorsimilar rruiteirial;l said Iclosure hav-ingthe Vpunched or-sliearedloops struck up thererom-form ing'tl'le-eyes whichlmay be four in numbei',v .as willlbe understood from- Fig. 5 through lwhich pass'v the-pins 35' whose outer ends' areseated n=holes 36=in the walls'2.`

Aswillz be understood' from Fig: 2, tue pins-35ai'esliorter than theouter dimensions of tliecase orl body 2 and the outer portionsfolsad'holes 36V are filled with cem0n`37 Tlie foregoing construction forms aneat andfe'ieient-clsuie for` the bottom of the rheoslsat' body, sinceit eleotively seals and clses 'the saine, as isevident.

THe-slotted lugs 38 form aeonvenent meansforsecuring the rheostat inthede' si'iiedlposi-tion, and? the-recesses 39- whose location -n thebnseof the rheostab will-be undezsboodfom--Fge 1 and-2am for*ventilation purposes.

llt will he seen from the foregoing that by adjusting the screw 7, thecompression of the material 12 can be varied according to requirements,through the medium of the plate 20 and the pistons 14 and-theiradfuiicts, anydcsrcd adjustment of'said screw icing) readill made by theinsertion of a suite le imp ement throu h the countersunk hole 9 in thetop of the cevicc'it vbeingfapparent that theresistance of the material12 will be varied, according to its compression cil'cctcd by the adjustmentiof the pistons. 14.

The double cell constizuetionseen inA Eig. 1 and the-provisionpftheadjustingfdev-ice above referredto, enablein novel rheostat to beireadily,r adjusted to different voltages to take care of one belloinaudible .signaler a plurality thereof- It will now be. apparent thatIhave de vised. a novel and uscfuhcoiisstructiou of, a rheostat whichembodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable inthe stato.-mentiof the invention and the above descrip tionand while I have, in.the present. instance, showii aiiddescribed apreferredenibodimentthereof which= will be. found in practice togiifesatisfactor Y and. reliable |1'csults, it is tobe understoodithat;theameis susceptible off modification in vuriousparticulainv withouv departingfrom thespirit or; scope o thednventionzor. saorificinggany of itsadvantages.

Havingthus described my. invention, -what l claim as. newv andclesiue-ltoswureby. Letters Patentuis:

1. In a double-cell rheestat, aiponoelain body, havingga pluralityY ofipiston chambers therein, .a contact platefonthe .top of. each ofi said-ypiston chambers,- .a contact plate` for each 011 saidv pistonsand.insulatedl therefrom, compreible resistance.- material between: saidp1ates,a icoinpressing plate .coniinon to said pistons, airadjustingscrewintermediate ofsaid cylindere,. and.in.engag ment: with saidplallmandA av springintlmdiate of' said Vplatofandftheportioln oisaidbody'in1 which said screwis Allnlilntedu 2. Inardoublc cell:rheostat,..aurcelain bod having a. closed top, depen ingside wal sandian-openbase,` istonichambersin saidbody, pistons in-` sai;chambers,-.an.ad justing screw mountedrin saidbody.; intermediateof'said pstons,a comprein plate commomtmsaid piston and,.in.threa edengagement4 with-said. screw, andmeans .interposedbetween. saidcompressi-n plnteand the portion oi the :bodytnnwhi said. screw ismounteale fon resiliently: supporting said pistons and compressingplate.

3; Irl-.a double cell, rheestah, ai orcelain bodvhaving a; closedtop,.depen in L side walls-and an'open base, (piston chambers in saidbody',- pistons in sa-i chambers, an..a(1- justing screw4 mountedin.said;body; ntermediate-of said pistons.and a compressing plate commonto said piston and in threaded engagement with said screw, incombination with a tension device for said plate.

4. In a double cell rheostat, a porcelain body having a closed top,depending side Walls and an open base, piston chambers in said body,pistons in said chambers, an adjusting screw mounted in said bodyintermediate of said pistons, and a compressing plate common to saidpiston and in threaded engagement With said screw, in combination With aclosure for said open base, eyes on the inner surface of said closure,insulating material above said closure, and pins passing through saideyes and seated in holes in said Walls.

5. In a double cell rheostat, a porcelain body having a closed top,depending side Walls and an open base, piston chambers in said body,pistons in said chambers, an adjusting screw mounted in said bodyintermediate of said pistons, a compressing plate common to said pistonand in threaded engagement with said screw, in combination with atension device, pressin outwardly on said plate, a closure for sai openbase, eyes on the inner surface of said closure, insulating materialabove said closure, pins passing through said eyes and seated in holesin said Walls and a cement filling for the outer ends of said holes.

6. In a double cell rheostat, a body, a plurality of cells therein,compressible resistance material therein, means for varyin thecompression on said resistance materia a closure for the bottom of saidbody comprising a plate having eyes on its inner surface, insulatingmaterial on said plate, pins passing through said eyes and having theirends seated in holes in said body and closing means for said holes.

7. In a double cell rheostat, a plurality of cells, compressiblcresistance material therein, contact plates above and below saidresistance material, a threaded screw intermediate of said cells, acompressin plate actuated by said screw, and resilient y supportedconnections from said plate for varying1 the compression of saidresistance materia 8. In a double cell rheostat, a bod a cell thereincontaining resistance materia ,means for compressing the latter, and aclosure for the bottom of said body, comprising a plate having eyestherein, pins passing throu h said eyes and having their ends seated 1nholes in said body and a cement filling for the outer ends of saidholes.

ANTONIO PAPINI.

Witnesses:

J oHN A. WIEDERSIIEIM, N. BUSSINGER.

